Sprinkler



L. vSTANTON sept. -1, 1936. I

SPRINKLER Filed July 16, 1935 jig?.

.INVENTOR JeneZ/'tanton fw af Cdl@ ATTORNEY- Patented Sept. l,v 1936 ,c UNHTED s'rfrls PATENT OFFICE l Y 2,052,673 Y Y sPRINKrER Y p Lenthel Stanton, Spokane, Wash.,4 assgnor to Big Square Sprinkler Co., Spokane, Wash., a

corporation of Washington v i Application July 1s, 1935, .seal No. 31,691 t,

10mm. (Grasa-6v) This invention relates to improvements Vin sprinklers and more especially to lawn sprinklers, and has to do with certain improvements on the structure shown in my Patent No. 1,568,250, is-` sued January 5, 1926.

In this prior patent, a steel ball was disposed in a cylindrical water chamber into which the water supplyfwas tangentially admitted to imparta whirling motion to the water and impel the ball to cause the latter to impact against an actuating arm and intermittently 'advance or rotate a sprinkler nozzle.

It was found in practice that even the small quantity of sand in the water presented a suicient abrasive to cause the steel ball to wear grooves along the bottom and radially outer portions of the chamber which the ball traversed, and I found it necessary to case-harden or other; wise provide the chamberwalls with suitable sur; faces-that would resist this wear. I also found it necessary to case-harden that portio'nxof the actuating arm against which the steel ball impacted, all of which very greatlyincreased the manufacturing cost of 'the sprinkler.

The abovefandf many otherfeatures of 4my prior lconstruction are improved and corrected in `sucha manner that I am now able to make the housing, in which. the water chamber is formed; of either cast or stamped material, and entirely avoid the wear and"consequent" defec-` tiveA operation that resultedfrom my prior construction. o f

Y Therefore it isa feature Yof` this invention' to make the interior walls ofithewater chamber unaltered by case-hardenedf'portionsor otherwise changingthe character of the materialfrom the general nature of Vwhich.it"is=formed.V i It is' also a feature Voithe invention tomake the actuating arm either-integral with the Vnoz-v zlehead or of anyr desired cast `or Vstampedinetal;

A special feature ofthe invention residesiriran unrestrained'body orl ball for actuating the noz-- zle arm, which ball is spherically cushioned Lin a `manner to absorb the wear of extraneous abrasive substances, andalso'the, wearincldent to constantly traversing portions of the water chamber and periodic engagement with the actuatingvarm. Y,

rIt is alson afeature of. .theji nvention to vprovide a ba ll that will effectivelyY functioneven lafter the spherical covering has worn oi. Y e VThe invention has many other'features and olijects. which will begmore fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and

which will be more particularly pointed out in and bythe appended claim.

In -the drawing:` w -E"ig'.I 1 is a vertical sectional view on line I| of Fig. 3, showing the nozzle in an extended or 5 operative position-such as it would occupy when the sprinkleris in operation.

,Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the nozzle in the collapsed position which it would assume when the sprinkler is` not operating.

r Fig. 3- is-.a horizontal sectional View taken through thesprinkler..

Fig. 4 is asectionalview of the spherical covering disposed about a ball core.` Y

.Fig 5 is aplan View of a blank of raw rubber I5: cut to be wrapped about -the ballcore.

Fig. 6` is and-Edge` viewy thereof.

Likencharacters of reference designate similar parts throughout the Vdifferentngures of the drawjng, v f, v

fAsshown, I have provided a housing of thin stampedor drawn material to moregraphically emphasize Vthe non-wearing t features resulting from my l improved construction, This housing has a` bottom wall vRian-upright cylindrical wall '2v-and may` have -an-inturned flanges. to which a coverA-may bersecured" by means such as bolts 5. The; interior of this housing forms what I will ternita waterschamber; whichV is generally indicatedat A. `Any-suitalrvlebaseer support may be provided on which the', sprinkler may rest, but this .is not a feature ofthe invention.

\ A watervingress is.` provided which may be in the form of 'a'.tube E, connected-with the housing orrforxned integral therewith, and 1 opening thereto: substantially tangentially of the cylindrical chamber, A, preferalilly midway ofl the height thereof; yThe outerfend l is suitably threaded for: connection with za; lawn hose. The b'ore of thetubeiB-is substantially uniform and it is not necessaryto reduceit to. increase velocity because of th'e factr that the improved-balli will later describe is4 enlarged in diameter andY therefore its total mass becomes intensively responsive' to theiflowiof water', as will later appear.

Reference will next be madeito the nozzle head and the manner :in which it is rotatively mount# ed inztheisprinkler: structure.

The cover 4r' is provided with a journalling sleeve'l having an abutmentend Il. Rotatively and longitudinally movable in' said sleeve AIl'l is a nozzle pipe` l2 which forms the water egress for theichamber A. Threaded or otherwise fixed to said-pipe :l2 is'a nozzle head I3 having a Abore I4, cimmunicating with said.` pipe, and provided with to restrict the volume of ow into pipe I2.

It will be observed that this lug I'I projects vtao- V Ward the radially inner face of impact member I9', so that it always extends ytoward-the ballwhen. the latter is deflected radially inwardly! after having impacted against edge 20. Hence the terminal end I'I is always in a position to inter;

rupt movement of the ball away'from its normal course of travel. This, in practice, is very important because a rubber covered ball is more responsive to suction than av metal ball.`

A nozzle actuating arm I8 is'suitably formed on or secured to pipe I2r and extends radially outwardly'therefrom and is provided withv a downwardly extending impactv end I9, having an impact edge .29 for engagement bytheball. A spacing washer 2| fits Isnugly'over pipe I2, above arm I8, and limits upward movement of the enwater, to a position dependent upon Vthe thicknessbf the washer, as will be clear vfrom Figs. 1 and 2.` Washers of different thickness may be employed, and it is also important to note vthat thisrwasher absorbs the friction against the bottom of cover 4. If conditions such as varying water pressure requires an increased or decreased frictional resistance, then washers of correspondingly greater or less diameter are employed. Hence, the spacing means or washer 2| functions in two capacities, and in the matter of height it serves to locate the impact portion I9"at the proper elevation with respect to the ball.

In the absence of waterpressure, the Ynozzle head descends until theA bottom I3 engages the abutment end II of sleeve I0, as shown in- 1 ig.2. When pressure has been turned on the water not only engages the surface I4 but by reason of the fact that egress provided by openings I5 is'of very much less capacity than the ingress afforded at 9, the 'constantlyresulting'pressure will forcethe nozzle into the Fig. 1 position, and keep it there. Hence, it willbe clear that the major friction resulting from turning movement ofthe pipe I2, will be localized on washer 2I, or rather between the upper face of the latter andi Vthe bottom vof cover 4, if the washer does not turn .or is tted too tightly or anchored so as not to turn. However,- I prefer not to fit the washer 2| so tightly on pipe I2 as to .prevent the'washer from'turning, and hence,'rotative1y speaking, it may, 'and 'actually does constituteia fulliloating 'washer in which'Y the friction would be divided between vtheupper faceand cover 4, and between the lower faceand arm I8.Y f-

My improved nozzle actuator is in the form of an ,unrestrained rolling Abody -capable'of being ymotivated bythe whirling' Water to 'engage vthe impact member at 20, on eachirevolution, and therebyvintermittently rotate the nozzle structure a fraction of a revolution.l In the' most improved vform ofthe invention, this. actuator is spherical and Vcomprises a' weight core 22, of metal, and a cushioned periphery of yielding material such for instance as rubber, vindicated'at ,237., The ,memberv I9is; located,in'fsuchfproximity to the wall 2, with respect to the diameter of the ball 23, that the center of the latter will be disposed radially inwardly from said member; hence, after the rst impact the whirlingwater will shift the ball radially inwardly of said member I9 and the ball will thence negotiate a cycle of movement around the chamber and again impactivelyengagemember I9. This causes intermittent rotation of the nozzle with intervening periods of rest, and it is a feature to make this v vintermittent movement of the nozzle as nearly uniform as possible throughout one complete cycle", so that the lawn surface will be uniformly sprinkled.

In the most improved construction I cut two or more layers of raw rubber into the form of blank 22 in amanner to uniformly enclose the same.

Thenthe rubber cover is vulcanized. ToY prevent the core from sinking in the cover whilerthe latter 'is 'softand in the mold, I provide the core with suitable anchoring projections 25 of any desired form or size. In practice, the cover will become free from the core but will snugly fit the same, and I have found that they cover'will wear spherical because of the fact that thewear is'so uniformly sustained. v When I used av steel ball I found that vthe nozzle was turned to a greater extent at each impact, through one segment of a circle than through another segment, thus causing an Yuneven sprinkling of the lawn. With my improved rubber covered ball I nd there is no variation, and I obtain an even and substantially uniform sprinkling of an area. When operating with a steel ball, Ifound that the impact was solid and very sharp, especially when the ball travelled just past the intake 9, and was less sudden after orV as the ball receded from said intake 9: This sudden Vand sharp impact with member I9 advanced the nozzle further than was thecase after the ball had travelled approximately half `or threequarters of .a circle.

Because ofthe abrasive actionof the sand, which is present in practically all city water, I found that the steel ball wore a groove along the lower peripheral area or travel path portion B of contact Vwith bottom wall I, and also or travel path portion as indicated at C where the ball engaged the upright wall 2. That is the reason why case-hardened portions of the housing were necessary. 'Ihis is entirely avoided with' my im-l proved ball because the yielding action ofthe latter permits the sand to indent it and hence the wear is hardlyv appreciable.

'While'I nd that a rubber covered ball'of the same diameter as a steel ball would not function as well, it is merely necessary to enlarge the height of the chamber A, and provide ametal core practically as large as the previouslyused steel ball, in orderto afford the rubber covered ball the requisite weight to make it effective. However, it is a feature 'of this invention to provide a metal core of a character which will avoid the necessity of greatlyrenlarging the diameter of the ball, and this feature comprises a core made of one-tenth antimony and nine-tenths lead, or of equivalent metals functioning in a like capacity. However, this particular composition forms a material, and hence if the rubber cover should wearof'the core could function, and asY Athis core would be softer than the metal parts with which it coacts, it would absorb wear and not require renewal of the housing or actuating arm. l A f Thus, in any and all events, this improved ball not only permits the use of aA cast housing and actuati arm, and avoids the expense of casehardened parts, but its nature corrects certain operative deciencies of the steel ball, as I shall next explain.

In the rst place I desire to point out that any metal to metal contact requires that the metal of one part be softer or faster wearing than that of another part, irrespective of the abrasive action of the sand,rand by means of this improved ball, either when peripherally cushioned or after the cushion has worn off, it is so much softer in the rst instance, and suiciently softer in the second instance, that I am enabled to make the housing and impacting parts of fast wearing material, such as casting or stamped metal.

In the matter of operation, the relatively heavier core of the cushioned ball, I obtain a sharp impact with the actuating arm, but it is a cushioned impact that does not cause the jar and jolt of the steel ball. Further, all other conditions being equal, the cushioned ball travels with slightly greater resistance than the steel ball, and the resulting impact is less severe, whereby a shorter advance movement of the nozzle is effected, which is a real advantage in actual practice, but the advancing movement is uniform throughout a cycle of travel, which is not true oi the steel ball.

However, I have provided a feature whereby I can obtain just as much of an advance movement of the nozzle with a rubber covered ball as with a steel ball, and this feature is embodied in the spacing washer 2|. Thus, I can use a washer of relativelyreduced diameter when I desire to increase the intermittent advance of the nozzle because the resulting friction against the cover 4 is correspondingly reduced. Then if I desire a relatively reduced advance movement of the nozzle, I use a washer 2l of corresponding larger diameter.

I also desire to point out that when the pressure of water is extremely high, and would therefore cause a too rapid rotation of the nozzle, I can correct this by inserting a washer 2l of greater diameter, and in the case of a relatively reduced pressure, or Where just a slight increase of nozzle rotation is desired, I can employ a relatively smaller diameter Washer. Hence, it will be seen that by this simple expedient I can control the rate of rotation of the nozzle and thus make the sprinkler self-compensating.

It is believed that my invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and I do not wish to be limited to the construction shown except for such limitations as the claim may impart.

I claim:-

A lawn sprinkler including a housing provided with ball travel path portions of relatively hard material and having an ingress discharging water into said chamber to form a whirling mass, a movable sprinkler head for said sprinkler having an actuating arm in said chamber formed of relatively hard material, and a ball in said heusing having a soft cushioning covering and a thrust increasing and Weight imposing core of fast wearing material relative to said path portions and arm, whereby said core may function after the soft covering has Worn off from said core.

LENTI-IEL STANTON. 

